Cutting apparatus including a wire cutting member

ABSTRACT

A cutting apparatus and the method of operating same is provided. The apparatus includes a feed tower assembly configured to be attached to an object and a frame assembly movably attached thereto. The frame assembly has arm assemblies thereon which accept a cutting member. At least one arm assembly can be pivoted relative to the other arm assembly and relative to the feed tower assembly. One arm assembly can further be moved relative to the other arm assembly and relative to the feed tower assembly in a vertical direction.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 62/517,275 filed Jun. 9, 2017, the specification ofwhich is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to cutting apparatuses and,more particularly, to cutting apparatuses including wire cutting membersfor cutting objects, such as pipes.

BACKGROUND

Cutting apparatuses including a wire for cutting products are generallyreferred to as wire saws. Wire saws are bulky items and may be unsafe tooperate. The bulky wire saws are limited in the environments in whichthey may be operated and consume large spaces when not in use. Moreover,wire saws may not adequately couple to pipes or the operator may operatethe wire saw in an unsafe position, thereby putting the operator indanger when operating the wire saws.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is defined by the following claims, and nothingin this section should be taken as a limitation on those claims.

It is therefore desirable to have a cutting apparatus including a wirecutting member that is compact and safe to operate. A wire saw that iscompact will be utilized in more environments and a safe wire saw willdecrease exposure of the operator to danger while operating the wiresaw.

In one aspect, a cutting apparatus is provided.

In one aspect, a method of cutting an object is provided.

In one aspect, a cutting apparatus is provided and is moveable between afirst position and a second position, and the cutting apparatus is morecompact in the first position than in the second position.

In one aspect, a cutting apparatus is provided and includes a feed towerassembly configured to be attached to an object and a frame assemblymovably attached thereto. The frame assembly has arm assemblies thereonwhich accept a cutting member. At least one arm assembly can be pivotedrelative to the other arm assembly and relative to the feed towerassembly. One arm assembly can further be moved relative to the otherarm assembly and relative to the feed tower assembly in a verticaldirection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure can be better understood with reference to the followingdrawings and description. The components in the figures are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustratingthe principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a top, front perspective view of one example of a cuttingapparatus with the cutting apparatus shown in an operating position,according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a top, rear perspective view of the cutting apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the cutting apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a top, front perspective view of the cutting apparatus withthe cutting apparatus shown in a storage position, according to oneaspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the cutting apparatus with thecutting apparatus shown in the operating position and with a cover ofthe cutting apparatus removed;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of the cutting apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a top, front, exploded perspective view of the cuttingapparatus with the cutting apparatus shown in the operating position;

FIG. 8 is a top, front perspective view of a feed tower assembly of thecutting apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the feed tower assembly;

FIG. 10 is a top, front perspective view of a frame base plate assemblyand a cutting member of the cutting apparatus, with the cover removed;

FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of the frame base plate assembly andthe cutting member of the cutting apparatus, with the cover removed;

FIG. 12 is a top, rear perspective view of the frame base plate assemblyand the cutting member of the cutting apparatus, with the cover removed;

FIG. 13 is a rear elevation view of the frame base plate assembly andthe cutting member of the cutting apparatus, with the cover removed;

FIG. 14 is a top, front perspective view of a wire tensioning assemblyof the cutting apparatus;

FIG. 15 is a front elevation view of the wire tensioning assembly;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the wire tensioning assembly;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the wire tensioning assembly;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the wire tensioning assembly;

FIG. 19 is a top, front perspective view of a tension indicatormechanism of the cutting apparatus;

FIG. 20 is a top, front perspective view of a right arm assembly of thecutting apparatus;

FIG. 21 is a front elevation view of the right arm assembly with an armplate removed;

FIG. 22 is a partial front elevation view of the cutting apparatus, withthe arm plate of the right arm assembly removed and the cover removed;

FIG. 23 is a top, front perspective view of a left arm assembly of thecutting apparatus;

FIG. 24 is a front elevation view of the left arm assembly with an armplate removed;

FIG. 25 is a partial front elevation view of the cutting apparatus, withthe arm plate of the left arm assembly removed and the cover removed;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a pin used to retain the cover in aclosed position;

FIG. 27 is a side elevation view of the pin;

FIG. 28 is a partial side elevation view of the cutting apparatus;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of some of the components of the cuttingapparatus, showing the arm assemblies and a liquid dispensing system;

FIG. 30 is a front elevation view of some of the components of thecutting apparatus, showing the arm assemblies having a front plateremoved, and the liquid dispensing system;

FIG. 31 is a rear elevation view of some of the components of thecutting apparatus, showing the arm assemblies, and the liquid dispensingsystem;

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of a right liquid passageway block of theliquid dispensing system;

FIG. 33 is a top plan view of the right liquid passageway block showingthe internal passageway in dotted line;

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a left liquid passageway block of theliquid dispensing system;

FIG. 35 is a top plan view of the left liquid passageway block showingthe internal passageway in dotted line;

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of a mounting pin housing of the liquiddispensing system;

FIG. 37 is a first cross-sectional view of the mounting pin housing;

FIG. 38 is a second cross-sectional view of the mounting pin housing;

FIG. 39 is a front perspective view of an arm mounting pin;

FIG. 40 is a rear perspective view of the arm mounting pin;

FIG. 41 is a top plan view of the arm mounting pin showing the internalbore and passageway in dotted line; and

FIG. 42 is a top plan view of the arm mounting pin and showing themounting pin housing in cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the figures, an example of a cutting apparatus 20 is shown.The cutting apparatus 20 may also be referred to as a wire saw. In thisexample, the cutting apparatus 20 is moveable between a first oroperating position (see FIGS. 1-3) and a second, inoperable or storageposition (see FIG. 4). When the cutting apparatus 20 is in the operatingposition, the cutting apparatus 20 is capable of cutting an object. Thecutting apparatus 20 is adapted to cut a wide variety of objects. In oneaspect, the cutting apparatus 20 is adapted to cut a cylindrical, hollowpipe. In such an example, the cutting apparatus 20 may cut a variety ofdifferent diameter pipes. For example, the cutting apparatus 20 may beable to cut a pipe having an outer diameter of up to about 9.6 inches.

In the storage position, the cutting apparatus 20 is very compact andcan be introduced into a lot of small or tight environments thatconventional cutting apparatuses or wires saws could not be introducedinto and, therefore, could not be utilized. Thus, the compactness of thecutting apparatus 20 allows it to be utilized in a vast quantity ofadditional environments. In one example, the compactness of the cuttingapparatus 20 allows the cutting apparatus 20 to pass into and through amanhole in a ground in order to access subterranean environments.Conventional cutting apparatuses and wire saws may not fit through amanhole, thereby precluding such conventional cutting apparatuses andwires saws from being used in subterranean environments.

The cutting apparatus 20 has a compact size and shape in both theoperating position and in the storage position. In the illustratedexample, the cutting apparatus 20 has a width W of about 12 inches, adepth D of about 12 inches, and a height H of about 29 inches in thestorage position. The cutting apparatus 20 with these dimensions will beable to easily fit into tight or small spaces such as, for example,through a manhole in the ground. These illustrated dimensions of thecutting apparatus 20 are only an example of a variety of possibledimensions and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Rather,the cutting apparatus 20 is capable of having other dimensions in thestorage position, but still enable the cutting apparatus 20 to becompact and fit into and through small or tight environments. All ofsuch dimensional possibilities of the cutting apparatus 20 are intendedto be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The cutting apparatus 20 includes a feed tower assembly 22 which affixesto an object (not shown) to be cut, such as a pipe, and is stationaryrelative to the object, a frame assembly 24 which movable relative tothe feed tower assembly 22, and a cutting member 26 removably attachedto the frame assembly 24, see FIG. 7. In the illustrated example, thecutting member 26 is a wire. In one example, the cutting member 26 maybe a braided wire with diamond particles on an exterior thereof. Thewire cutting member 26 may be a wide variety of lengths and all of suchpossibilities are intended to be within the spirit and scope of thepresent disclosure. In one example, it is a feature of the cuttingapparatus 20 to include a wire cutting member of about 95 inches toabout 105 inches. The cutting apparatus 20 of the present disclosure iscapable of accommodating a wire cutting member 26 of such lengths due toits construction (described in more detail below).

The feed tower assembly 22 is best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and includes alower saddle 28, an top guide plate 30, a pair of guide shafts 32, 34extending between and coupled to the lower saddle 28 and the top guideplate 30, a feed tower tube 36 extending between and coupled to thelower saddle 28 and the top guide plate 30, a coupling assembly 38 forcoupling the feed tower assembly 22 to the object, and a frame heightadjustment mechanism 40 which is configured to move the frame assembly24 relative to the feed tower assembly 22 to cut the object.

The cutting apparatus 20 may include a variety of different couplingassemblies to couple the cutting apparatus 20 to an object. The couplingassembly 38 includes a handle 42, a connector 44, a wrapping member 46,and an engagement surface 48. The wrapping member 46 is selectivelywrapped around an object, such as a pipe, and connected to the connector44. The wrapping member 46 may be a wide variety of wrapping members 46such as, for example a chain, a strap, etc. Rotation of the handle 42causes the connector 44 to translate toward or away from the handle 42depending on the direction of rotation. Translating the connector 44toward the handle 42 tightens the wrapping member 46 around the object.The engagement surface 48 is arcuate or curved and is engaged by thewrapping member 46. The arcuate engagement surface 48 assists with equaltightening forces being applied to the object to which the cuttingapparatus 20 is attached no matter the size or diameter of the object.Moreover, the arcuate engagement surface 48 ensures the wrapping member46 extends therefrom at a proper angle that facilities evenlydistributed and equal forces are applied to the object. When attachingthe cutting apparatus 20 to different size objects, the wrapping member46 will extend from different points of the arcuate engagement surface48. The arcuate feature of the engagement surface accommodates thedifferent sized objects and facilitates evenly distributed and equalforces are applied to the object.

The saddle 28 includes a plurality of pads or saddle plates 50 adaptedto engage an outer surface of the object and assist with coupling thecutting apparatus 20 to the object. The saddle plates 50 includeengagement surfaces angled relative to each other and having a surfacetreatment that results in relatively high friction between the saddleplates 50 and the outer surface of the object. In some examples, theengagement surfaces may include projections or teeth.

The frame height adjustment mechanism 40 includes a shaft 52 and a feedhandle 54 configured to rotate the shaft 52. The shaft 52 is coupled toand supported by the saddle 28 at its lower end and the top guide plate30 at its upper end such that the shaft 52 can rotate relative to thesaddle 28 and top guide plate 30 about a longitudinal central axis ofthe shaft 52, but is prohibited from moving vertically or axially alongthe central axis. The shaft 52 has external threads defined in anexterior thereof. The handle 54 is fixedly coupled to a top end of theshaft 52 and is manipulatable by an operator to rotate the shaft 52 intwo directions.

The frame assembly 24 includes a frame base plate assembly 56, a wiretensioning assembly 58 mounted on the frame base plate assembly 56 andvertically movable relative to the frame base plate assembly 56, a rightarm assembly 60 pivotally mounted on the wire tensioning assembly 58, aleft arm assembly 62 pivotally mounted on the frame base plate assembly56, a cover 64 hingedly mounted on the frame base plate assembly 56, andthe cutting member 26. The wire tensioning assembly 58 is adjustable toadjust a quantity of tension applied to the cutting member 26 and may beadjusted to allow removal and replacement of the cutting member 26.

As shown in FIGS. 10-13, the frame base plate assembly 56 includes aframe base plate 66 having a front surface 66 a, a rear surface 66 b, atop surface 66 c, a bottom surface 66 d and right and left side surfaces66 e, 66 f, a drive wheel 68 rotatably mounted on the front surface 66 athereof, and a drive mechanism 70 mounted on the rear surface 66 bthereof and attached to the drive wheel 68 to operate the drive wheel68.

The frame base plate 66 has trunnions 72, 73, 74, 76 and a frame block78 extending outwardly from the rear surface 66 b thereof. Each trunnion72, 73, 74, 76 has a passageway provided from between a top surface anda bottom surface thereon, and a bushing is mounted in each passageway. Adrive shaft of the drive mechanism 70 extends through an apertureprovided through the frame base plate 66. The drive wheel 68 isproximate to the front surface 66 a of the frame base plate 66 and iscoupled to the drive mechanism 70 on the rear surface 66 b of the framebase plate 66 via the drive shaft. Trunnions 74, 76 are provided on oneof side of the drive mechanism 70 and are vertically aligned with eachother. Trunnions 72, 73 are provided on the other side of the drivemechanism 70, are vertically aligned with each other, trunnion 72 ishorizontally aligned with trunnion 74, and trunnion 73 is horizontallyaligned with trunnion 76. The frame block 78 has a threaded passageway80 therethrough which extends from an upper surface of the frame block78 to a lower surface of the frame block 78. The frame base plate 66further has a left arm retaining block 82 and an arm mounting pin 84extending outwardly from the front surface 66 a. The left arm retainingblock 82 is proximate to the bottom surface 66 d and proximate to thecorner between the bottom surface 66 d and the left side surface 66 fThe left arm retaining block 82 has first and second spaced apartnotches 86 a, 86 b provided in a lower surface thereof.

In the illustrated example, the drive mechanism 70 is a hydraulic drivesystem. Alternatively, the drive mechanism 70 may be a motor, apneumatic drive mechanism, an electric drive mechanism, etc.

As shown in FIGS. 14-19, the wire tensioning assembly 58 includes a wiretensioning base plate 88 having a front surface 88 a and a rear surface88 b, a right arm adjustment mechanism 90 mounted on the front surface88 a thereof, a tension indicator mechanism 92 mounted on the rearsurface 88 b thereof, and a wire tensioning height adjustment mechanism94 mounted on the rear surface 88 b thereof. The wire tensioning heightadjustment mechanism 94 works in conjunction with a wheel slide block132 extending from the frame base plate 66.

The wheel slide block 132 has a passageway therethrough which extendsfrom an upper surface of the wheel slide block 132 to a lower surface ofthe wheel slide block 132 in which bushings 134 are seated.

A trunnion 96 extends outwardly from the rear surface 88 b of the wiretensioning base plate 88. The trunnion 96 has a passageway 98 extendingbetween a top surface and a bottom surface thereof, and a bushing ismounted therein. A bore 100 extends downwardly from the top surface ofthe trunnion 96 and is spaced from the passageway 98, and a threadedfeed nut is mounted therein.

The wire tensioning height adjustment mechanism 94 includes a threadedrod 102 having a knob 104 at an upper end of the rod. A lower end of therod 102 is threadedly engaged with the feed nut in the bore 100. The rod102 is rotatable relative to the trunnion 96, and the trunnion 96, andthus the wire tensioning base plate 88 translates along the rod 102 uponrotation of the rod 102.

The right arm adjustment mechanism 90 includes a housing 105 having apiston 106 extending outwardly therefrom and a spring 108 within thehousing 105 to bias the piston 106. The piston 106 includes a shaft 110having an enlarged piston head 112 at an end thereof. A notch 114 a isprovided in a lower surface of the housing 105 proximate to the end ofthe housing 105 from which the piston 106 extends. A notch 114 b isprovided in a lower surface of the piston head 112.

The tension indicator mechanism 92 includes a housing 116 which extendsoutwardly from the rear surface 88 b of the wire tensioning base plate88 at a position spaced below the trunnion 96, a passageway 118 throughthe housing 116 which extends from a front side 116 a of the housing 116to a rear side 116 b thereof, a movable indicator arm 120 positionedwithin the passageway 118 and pivotally connected to the housing 116 byan arm mounting pin 122, and a rod 124 pivotally attached to theindicator arm 120 by an arm mounting pin 126. In an embodiment, theindicator arm 120 is L-shaped. The rod 124 is fixedly attached to anupper end of the piston head 112 and extends through an elongatedhorizontal slot 128 through the wire tensioning base plate 88. Thehousing 116 has indicia 130 thereon which correspond to a “SET”position, a “CUT 1” position and a “CUT 2” position. An end 120 a of themovable indicator arm 120 is visible from above the housing 116 so thatan operator can see when the end 120 a aligns with one of the “SET”position, the “CUT 1” position and the “CUT 2” position. When the piston106 is moved horizontally as discussed herein, movement of the pistonhead 112 causes the rod 124 to translate along the slot 128, which inturn causes the indicator arm 120 to pivot within the passageway 118 ofthe housing 116. Depending upon where the piston head 112 is, the end120 a of the movable indicator arm 120 will align with one of the one ofthe “SET” position, the “CUT 1” position and the “CUT 2” position forreasons described herein.

As shown in FIGS. 20-22, the right arm assembly 60 includes a rear plate136 and a front plate 138 in a parallel arrangement. A plurality ofspacers 141 are disposed between the parallel plates 136, 138 toseparate the rear plate 136 from the front plate 138 by a predetermineddistance. An inner side opening is provided between the plates 136, 138on an inner side thereof; a bottom opening is provided between theplates 136, 138 on a bottom side thereof; and an outer side opening isprovided between the plates 136, 138 on an outer side thereof, and a topopening is provided between the plates 136, 138 on a top side thereof.An arm mounting pin 140 extends outwardly from the front surface 88 a ofthe wire tensioning base plate 88 and extends through the plates 136,138 proximate to the top ends thereof to attach the right arm assembly60 to the frame base plate 66 of the wire tensioning assembly 58vertically upwardly of the piston head 112. An arm wheel 142 isrotationally mounted between the plates 136, 138 proximate to the bottomends thereof by an axle 144 mounted between the plates 136, 138. The armmounting pin 140 may be integrally formed with the wire tensioning baseplate 88 such that a one-piece member is provided.

A spring-biased latch 146 is pivotally attached to the plates 136, 138by an arm mounting pin 148 extending between the plates 136, 138. Thespring-biased latch 146 includes a latch arm 150 and a spring 152. Thelatch arm 150 has an elongated handle section 150 a, a pivot mountsection 150 b extending outwardly from the handle section 150 aproximate to an upper end thereof, and a finger section 150 c whichprotrudes upwardly from the upper end of the handle section 150 a. Thefinger section 150 c has a curved end surface 154. The spring 152 has afirst end section 152 a which is engaged with the pivot mount section150 b, a coiled section 152 b extending from the first end section 152 awhich is wrapped around the pin 148, and a second end section 152 cextending from the coiled section 152 b and which is engaged with one ofthe spacers 141. The spring 152 normally biases the latch arm 150 into afirst position such that a lower end 156 of the handle section 150 a ofthe latch arm 150 is pivoted away from the plates 136, 138.

The finger section 150 c can seat within the notch 114 a provided in thepiston housing 105 or can seat within the notch 114 b provided in thepiston head 112. When the finger section 150 c is seated within thenotch 114 a provided in the piston housing 105, the right arm assembly60 is in the storage position. When the finger section 150 c is seatedwithin the notch 114 b provided in the piston head 112, the right armassembly 60 is in the operating position. The notches 114 a, 114 b areslightly larger than the finger section 150 c such that the fingersection 150 c can be released from the notches 114 a, 114 b when anoperator pivots the latch arm 150 around its arm mounting pin 148. Whenthe latch arm 150 is engaged with the notch 114 b in the piston head 112in the operating position and the piston 106 is moved as describedherein, the notch 114 b is sized to allow the finger section 150 c topivot within the notch 114 b, but to maintain engagement of the fingersection 150 c and the piston head 112.

As shown in FIGS. 23-25, the left arm assembly 62 includes a rear plate158 and a front plate 160 in a parallel arrangement. A plurality ofspacers 162 are disposed between the parallel plates 158, 160 toseparate the rear plate 158 from the front plate 160 by a predetermineddistance. An inner side opening is provided between the plates 158, 160on an inner side thereof; a bottom opening is provided between theplates 158, 160 on a bottom side thereof; and an outer side opening isprovided between the plates 158, 160 on an outer side thereof, and a topopening is provided between the plates 158, 160 on a top side thereof.The arm mounting pin 84 extends outwardly from the frame base plate 66and extends through the plates 158, 160 proximate to the top endsthereof to attach the left arm assembly 62 to the frame base plate 66 ofthe frame base plate assembly 56 vertically upwardly of the left armretaining block 82. An arm wheel 164 is rotationally mounted between theplates 158, 160 proximate to the bottom ends thereof by an axle 166mounted between the plates 158, 160. The arm mounting pin 84 may beintegrally formed with the frame base plate 66 such that a one-piecemember is provided.

A spring-biased latch 168 is pivotally attached to the plates 158, 160by an arm mounting pin 170 extending between the plates 158, 160. Thespring-biased latch 168 includes a latch arm 172 and a spring 174. Thelatch arm 172 has an elongated handle section 172 a, a pivot mountsection 172 b extending outwardly from the handle section 172 aproximate to an upper end thereof, and a finger section 172 c whichprotrudes upwardly from the upper end of the handle section 172 a. Thefinger section 172 c has a curved end surface 176. The spring 174 has afirst end section 174 a which is engaged with the pivot mount section172 b, a coiled section 174 b extending from the first end section 174 awhich is wrapped around the pin 170, and a second end section 174 cextending from the coiled section 174 b and which is engaged with one ofthe spacers 162. The spring 174 normally biases the latch arm 172 into afirst position such that a lower end 178 of the handle section 172 a ofthe latch arm 172 is pivoted away from the plates 158, 160.

The finger section 172 c can seat within the notch 86 a or in the notch86 b provided in the left arm retaining block 82. When the fingersection 172 c is seated within the notch 86 a, the left arm assembly 62is in the storage position. When the finger section 172 c is seatedwithin the notch 86 b, the left arm assembly 62 is in the operatingposition. The notches 86 a, 86 b are slightly larger than the fingersection 172 c such that the finger section 172 c can be released fromthe notches 86 a, 86 b when an operator pivots the latch arm 172 aroundits arm mounting pin 170.

In the illustrated example, each arm wheel 142, 164 includes a centralhub 180 and an outer body member 182. Each arm wheel 142, 164 defines apair of spaced-apart flanges and a recess between the flanges forreceiving the cutting member 26 therein. In one example, the arm wheel142, 164 are formed of plastic with a cast urethane wear surface toprovide the arm wheel 142, 164 with sufficient strength and durabilityto withstand the stresses realized during operation of the cuttingapparatus 20.

The cutting member 26 forms a loop around the drive wheel 168 and thearm wheels 142, 164. The cutting member 26 is attached to the drivewheel 68 and partially encircles the drive wheel 68, is attached to thearm wheel 142 of the right arm assembly 60 and partially encircles thearm wheel 142, and is attached to the arm wheel 164 of the left armassembly 62 and partially encircles the arm wheel 164.

The guide shaft 34 of the feed tower assembly 22 extends through thetrunnions 74, 76 extending from the frame base plate 66 of the framebase plate assembly 56. The guide shaft 32 of the feed tower assembly 22extends through the trunnions 72, 73 on the frame base plate 66 of theframe base plate assembly 56 and through the passageway 98 of thetrunnion 96 extending from the wire tensioning base plate 88 of the wiretensioning assembly 58. The shaft 52 of the feed tower assembly 22extends through and is threadedly engaged with the passageway 80 of theframe block 78 extending from the frame base plate 66 of the frame baseplate assembly 56. The rod 102 of the wire tensioning height adjustmentmechanism 94 of the wire tensioning assembly 58 extends through the topguide plate 30 of the feed tower assembly 22 and the knob 104 is abovethe top guide plate 30. The rod 102 of the wire tensioning assembly 58further extends through the bushings 134 in the passageway of the wheelslide block 132 of the base frame assembly 24 and is captively engagedwith the bushings 134. This couples the feed tower assembly 22, theframe base plate assembly 56 and the wire tensioning assembly 58together.

To initially adjust the tension on the cutting member 26, the armassemblies 60, 62 are moved to the operating position by pivoting thelatches 150, 172 to engage the finger sections 150 c, 172 c into thenotches 114 b, 86 b, and the feed tower assembly 22 is mounted to theobject using the coupling assembly 38. The wrapping member 46 isuncoupled from the connector 44, the cutting apparatus 20 is positionedon top of the object such that the saddle plates 50 engage the object,the wrapping member 46 is wrapped around the object, the wrapping member46 is coupled again to the connector 44, and the handle 42 is rotated ina direction that causes the connector 44 to translate toward the handle42, thereby tightening the wrapping member 46 around the object. Thehandle 42 is rotated until a desired amount of tension and forces areapplied to the object to ensure a secure coupling of the cuttingapparatus 20 to the pipe. The wrapping member 46 will engage and extendfrom the arcuate engagement surface 48 at a location dependent upon thesize or diameter of the pipe.

The cutting member 26 will be in engagement with an upper surface of theobject to be cut. Thereafter, the knob 104 is rotated to rotate the rod102 of the wire tensioning height adjustment mechanism 94 relative tothe top guide plate 30 of the feed tower assembly 22 and relative to thewheel slide block 132. This causes the wire tensioning base plate 88 tomove relative to the frame base plate 66, thereby causing the right armassembly 60 to move upwardly or downwardly depending upon whichdirection the knob 104 is rotated. As a result, the right arm assembly60 moves relative to the drive wheel 68, relative to the left armassembly 62, and relative to the object. The trunnion 98 slides alongthe guide shaft 32 during this movement. When the right arm assembly 60is moved downwardly, the cutting member 26 presses against the object.As this motion occurs, the right arm assembly 60 pivots around its armmounting pin 140 and rotates inwardly against the action of thespring-biased piston 106 (to the extent that the spring force of thespring-biased piston 106 allows for such movement). As the piston head112 is moved toward the left arm assembly 62, the spring 108 within thepiston housing 105 compresses, and the rod 124 translates along the slot128, which in turn causes the indicator arm 120 to pivot within thepassageway 118 of the housing 116. Rotation of the knob 104 and rod 102is continued until the indicator arm 120 aligns with the “SET” position.Movement of the right arm assembly 60 upwardly decreases the tension onthe cutting member 26. Movement of the right arm assembly 60 downwardlyincreases the tension on the cutting member 26. When in the “SET”position, the cutting member 26 “bends” around the object. By having thebend in the cutting member 26, more surface area of the cutting member26 is engaging the object rather than just a small surface area if thecutting member 26 is too taut and extends straight or substantiallystraight across between the arm wheels 142, 164. Greater surface areaengagement between the cutting member 26 and the object facilitates moreeffective cutting of the object.

Once the cutting assembly 20 is in the “SET” position mounted to theobject, the object is ready to be cut. To form the cut, the operatorturns the feed handle 54 of the frame height adjustment mechanism 40 tomove the frame base plate assembly 56, the wire tensioning assembly 58,both arm assemblies 60, 62 and the cutting member 26 downwardly towardthe object and relative to the feed tower assembly 22. As the frame baseplate assembly 56, the wire tensioning assembly 58, both arm assemblies60, 62 and the cutting member 26 are moved downwardly, the cuttingmember 26 presses against the object. As this motion occurs, the rightarm assembly 60 pivots around its arm mounting pin 140 and rotatesinwardly. The piston head 112 moves inwardly from the piston housing 105under the force from the spring 108. As the piston head 112 movesinwardly, the rod 124 translates along the slot 128, which in turncauses the indicator arm 120 to pivot within the passageway 118 of thehousing 116 to the desired “CUT 1” position or “CUT 2” position. Theoperator maintains a rotation rate on the feed handle 54 which keeps theindicator arm 120 at the desired “CUT 1” position or “CUT 2” position.The cutting member 26 will then cut through the object. This representsthe balance and dynamic tension between the “payout” or slack in thecutting member 26 and the pressure exerted on the cutting member 26during cutting. Dynamic movement adjusts the tension in the cuttingmember 26 during operation. For a given amount of slack, a certain wirepressure is operator-maintained for optimal cutting.

When the cutting apparatus 20 is not engaged with the object, thecutting member 26 can be released from the drive wheel 68 and the armwheels 142, 164 for replacement. It may be desirable to remove andreplace a cutting member 26 for example, if the cutting member 26 isworn out, damaged, or a different type of cutting member 26 is desiredbased on the type of object to be cut. The cutting member 26 may beremoved from the cutting apparatus 20 when the cutting apparatus 20 isin either the storage position or the operating position (i.e., with thetwo arm assemblies 60, 62 inward or outward). To replace the cuttingmember 26, the wire tensioning assembly 58 is used to raise the rightarm wheel 142 upwardly toward the drive wheel 68. This reduces orreleases the tension applied to the cutting member 26 and the cuttingmember 26 may be removed from all the wheels 68, 142, 164. Anothercutting member 26 may replace the previous cutting member 26. The newcutting member 26 is wrapped around the drive wheel 68 and the armwheels 142, 164. The wire tensioning assembly 58 is used to lower thearm wheel 142 away from the drive wheel 68 in a second directionopposite the first direction, thereby increasing or applying tension tothe cutting member 26.

A guard 186 may extend outwardly from the front surface 88 a of the wiretensioning base plate 66 proximate to the upper end of the right armassembly 60.

The cover 64 can be selectively opened to provide access to the drivewheel 68, and can be closed to prevent access to and to protect thedrive wheel 68. The cover 64 is coupled to the frame base plate 66 by aplurality of pins 188, a hinge 190 and a latch 192.

The cover 64 has a front wall 194 a having front and rear surfaces, atop wall 194 b depending from a top end of the front wall 194, and sidewalls 194 c, 194 c depending from the opposite sides of the front wall194 a. A plurality of openings 196 are provided through the cover 64.

As shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, each pin 188 has an elongated shaft 198which extends outwardly from the front surface 66 a of the frame baseplate 66, a flange 200 extending radially outwardly from the shaft 198,and an enlarged head 202 at the end of the shaft 198 and which is spacedfrom the flange 200. A recess 203 is provided between the head 202 andthe flange 200. Each opening 196 is larger than the head 202 of therespective pin 188, but smaller than the flange 200.

As shown in FIG. 28, the hinge 190 has cylindrical knuckles 204 coupledto the frame base plate 66, and cylindrical leaves 206 coupled to theside wall 194 d of the cover 64. The leaves 206 are connected togetherby a bar 208. Pins 210 extend through the respective knuckles/leaves204/206.

The latch 192 has a first part on the top wall 192 b of the cover 64 anda second mating part on the top surface of the frame base plate 66. Whenthe parts of the latch 192 are engaged with each other, the cover 64cannot be opened.

When the cover 64 is in a closed position, the top wall 194 b of thecover 64 overlaps the top surface of the frame base plate 66, the sidewalls 194 c, 194 d of the cover 64 overlap the sides of the frame baseplate 66, and the bottom edge of the front wall 192 a aligns with, or isbelow, the bottom edge of the frame base plate 66. The pins 188 arepositioned at the top of the openings 196, with the heads 202 of thepins 188 extending through respective openings 196 and the front wall196 a seats within the recess 203 of each pin 188. Each leaf 206 isproximate to the respective knuckle 204. The front wall 194 a of thecover 64 covers the drive wheel 68, the frame base plate assembly 56,the wire tensioning assembly 58, and an upper portion of each armassembly 60, 62. The side walls 194 c, 194 d cover the sides of thedrive wheel 68.

To open the cover 64, the parts of the latch 192 are disengaged.Thereafter, the operator lifts the cover 64 upwardly. The leaves 206travel upwardly along the pins 210. Once the front wall 194 a of thecover 64 is no longer seated within the recesses 203, the cover 64 isrotated around the pins 210 to move the cover 64 to the open position.

To again close the cover 64, the cover 64 is rotated around the pins 210until the rear surface of the front wall 194 a of the cover 64 engageswith the heads 202 of the pins 188. The heads 202 of the pins 188 areconical, so the cover 64 will slide along the heads 202 to move upwardlyrelative to the pins 188 and the frame base plate 66. Once the cover 64is moved past the heads 202, the cover 64 will drop into the recesses203. Thereafter, the latch 192 is reengaged.

As will be prevalent after reviewing the present disclosure in itsentirety, the cutting apparatus 20 may be set-up, operated, andconfigured into its storage position all without the use of tools, whicheliminates the need to carry or keep track of tools.

The orientation and configuration of all of the wheels 68, 142, 164 ofthe cutting apparatus 20 enable the cutting apparatus 20 to include acutting member 26 of a relatively long length. In one example, thecutting member 26 can have a length of about 105 inches. In one example,the cutting member 26 can have a length between about 95 inches andabout 120 inches. In one example, the quantity that the cutting member26 wraps around each of the wheels 68, 142, 164 may be specificallydesigned to inhibit slippage between the cutting member 26 and thewheels 68, 142, 164 during operation and provide sufficient support tothe cutting member 26. Additionally, in the illustrated example, all ofthe wheels 68, 142, 164 are aligned and centered in a common plane,which inhibits drifting and pitching of the wheels 68, 142, 164 duringoperation of the cutting apparatus 20.

With the cutting apparatus 20 in its storage position, the cuttingapparatus 20 is compact and can be transported, such as by carrying, toa variety of environments that conventional cutting apparatuses couldnot previously be transported to. For example, the cutting apparatus 20may easily pass through a manhole opening in the ground to perform workon subterranean pipes. Conventional cutting apparatuses may be too largeto pass through a manhole. Once the cutting apparatus 20 is at or near adesired cutting location, the cutting apparatus 20 may either beinitially coupled to an object or initially moved from its storageposition to its operating position. For purposes of this exemplaryoperational description, the object has been described as a pipe.However, the cutting apparatus 20 is adapted to cut a wide variety ofobjects and the description herein pertaining to a pipe is not intendedto be limiting to the present disclosure.

The operational examples of the cutting apparatus 20 described hereinare only some of the many different ways of operating the cuttingapparatus 20 and are not intended to be limiting upon the presentdisclosure.

The engagement of the latches 150, 172 with the piston head 112 and theleft arm retaining block 82 when in the operating position providestructural support for the arm assemblies 60, 62 when under load, andalso provides structural rigidity for the arm assemblies 60, 62 whenunder load. When the cutting member 26 is tightened and under load, thearm assemblies 60, 62 are loaded between the upper arm mounting pins140, 84 and the arm wheels 142, 164. The entire load is supported by thearm assemblies 60, 62. To increase rigidity and structural integrity andto prevent flexing of the arm assemblies 60, 62 when under load, thelatches 150, 172 are engaged with the piston head 112 and the left armretaining block 82 at about the mid-point of each arm assembly 60, 62,and preferably may be positioned slightly toward the upper arm mountingpins 140, 84. This stabilizes the arm wheels 142, 164. Because the armassemblies 60, 62 are not supported in a cantilevered manner, all forcesacting due to tension in the cutting member 26 act in single plane, thatis, in the plane of the cutting member 26, the drive wheel 68 and thearm wheels 142, 164. Lateral deflection of the arm assemblies 60, 62 isprevented due to relatively tight frictional fit between the latches150, 172 and the piston head 112 and the left arm retaining block 82.

The number of components disposed on the front surface 66 a of the framebase plate 66 and the front surface 88 a of the wire tensioning baseplate 88 are minimized because it is this area that may be subject tothe accumulation of debris during the cutting operation. No sensors,springs, or sensitive components are located in this area specificallyto isolate such components from any such debris. The cover 64 and theframe base plate 66 essentially isolates the sensitive componentsdisposed on the rear surface 66 b of frame base plate 66 from the debrisarea associated with the front surface 66 a of the frame base plate 66,because minimal pathways are provided therebetween. Because the armwheels 142, 164 create a fan-like action when rotating to sweep debrisaway from the wheel center. Thus, the components on the rear surface 66b of the frame base plate 66 remain isolated and protected from debris.

In an embodiment, each arm assembly 60, 62 includes a lower latchabledoor 250 which closes the bottom opening between the plates 136, 138,158, 160, and an upper latchable door 252 which closes the outer sideopening between the plates 136, 138, 158, 160. The doors 250 are shapedto conform to the shape of the bottom opening between the plates 136,138, 158, 160 and are pivotally attached to the plates 136, 138, 158,160 by arm mounting pin 254. The doors 252 are shaped to conform to theouter side opening between the plates 136, 138, 158, 160 and arehingedly attached to the plate 136, 158 by a hinge 256. A latch part 258is attached to the other plate 138, 160 and mates with a latch part 260on the upper door 252.

In a closed position, an upper end of the lower door 250 engages withthe lower end of the upper door 252 such that the upper end of the lowerdoor 250 is inwardly of the lower end of the upper door 252. The latchparts 258, 260 are engaged to maintain both doors 250, 252 in a closedposition.

To open the doors, the latch parts 258, 260 are disengaged and the upperdoor 252 rotates around its hinge 256, thereby exposing the outeropening. Once the upper door 252 is opened, the lower door 250 is freeto rotate around its arm mounting pin 254 by gravity, thereby exposingthe bottom opening. When the doors 250, 252 are in the open position,the interior portion of the arm assemblies 60, 62, including the armwheels 142, 164, may be easily cleaned so as to remove debris that mayaccumulate during the cutting process.

A housing 262 around the arm mounting pin 254 of the lower door 250 maybe hardened such that if the cutting member 26 is severed, the armmounting pin 254 will be resistant to damage.

Further, with the latchable doors 250, 252 in the open position,changing the cutting member 26 is fast and easy, and no tools arerequired. Note that the latching doors 250, 252 merely provide access tothe internal partially enclosed space between the plates 136, 138, 158,160 and are not needed to provide structural support or integrity forthe arm assemblies 60, 62.

While two latchable doors 250, 252 are provided, it is to be understoodthat a single door could be provided, or more than two doors could beprovided.

Referring now to FIGS. 29-42, the cutting apparatus 20 includes a liquiddispensing assembly 264 adapted to dispense pressurized liquid to assistwith cooling portions of the cutting apparatus 20 during operation. Alarge quantity of heat can be realized when using the cutting apparatus20 to cut an object. Excessive quantities of heat can undesirably damagethe cutting member 26 and/or components of the cutting apparatus 20.Thus, the liquid dispensing assembly 264 assists with inhibitingexcessive heat during operation. The liquid dispensing assembly 264 alsodecreases the amount of debris that moves upward into the cuttingapparatus 20 during operation of the cutting apparatus 20. The liquiddispensed from the liquid dispensing assembly 264 engages debris,captures the debris and falls or runs downward, thereby bringing thedebris with it as it falls. Excessive debris buildup in the cuttingapparatus 20 may negatively affect operation of the cutting deviceand/or damage the cutting apparatus 20. In one example, the liquid iswater.

The liquid dispensing assembly 264 includes right and left dispensers orsprayers 266, 268 and right and left conduits 270, 272 for communicatingpressurized liquid to the dispensers 266, 268, see FIG. 30. Dispenser266 is coupled to an interior surface of the plate 136 of the right armassembly 60 and conduit 270 is connected to the dispenser 266; dispenser268 is coupled to an interior surface of the plate 158 of the left armassembly 62 and conduit 272 is connected to the dispenser 268. Theconduits 270, 272 communicate liquid to the respective dispenser 266,268. Each conduit 270, 272 may be rigid.

The liquid dispensing assembly 264 further includes a right liquidpassageway block 274, a left liquid passageway block 276, a flexibleconduit 278 extending between the right and left liquid passagewayblocks 274, 276, a right mounting pin housing 280, and a left mountingpin housing 282.

The right liquid passageway block 274 extends from the rear surface 88 bof the wire tensioning base plate 88. The right liquid passageway block274 may be integrally formed with the wire tensioning base plate 88 suchthat a one-piece member is provided. As shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, theright liquid passageway block 274 has a passageway 284 therethroughwhich extends from a rear thereof to a front thereof. The passageway 284has a rear end 284 a at the rear of the right liquid passageway block274 and which is connected to the flexible conduit 178, and a front end284 b at the front of the right liquid passageway block 274 which iscommunication with an aperture (not shown) through the wire tensioningbase plate 88. The right liquid passageway block 274 may take the formof a trunnion and have the support rod 32 extending therethrough and mayfurther have a support rod 286 extending therethrough; the support rod286 being affixed to the frame base plate 66.

The left liquid passageway block 276 extends from the rear surface 66 bof the frame base plate 66. The left liquid passageway block 276 may beintegrally formed with the frame base plate 66 such that a one-piecemember is provided. As shown in FIGS. 34 and 35, the left liquidpassageway block 276 has a passageway 288 therethrough having a firstbranch 290 which extends from a rear of the left liquid passageway block276 to a front of the left liquid passageway block 276, and a secondbranch 292 which extends from the first branch 290 to the rear of theleft liquid passageway block 276. The first branch 290 has a rear end290 a at the rear of the left liquid passageway block 276 and which isconnected to a source (not shown) of pressurized liquid, and a front end290 b at the front of the left liquid passageway block 276 which is influid communication with an aperture (not shown) through the frame baseplate 66. The second branch 292 has a rear end 292 a at the rear of theleft liquid passageway block 276 and which is connected to the flexibleconduit 278, and a front end 292 b which is in fluid communication withthe first branch 290.

The right mounting pin housing 280 is seated between the plates 136, 138of the right arm assembly 60, and the left mounting pin housing 282 isseated between the plates 158, 160 of the left arm assembly 62. Eachmounting pin housing 280, 282 is identically formed. As shown in FIGS.36-38, each mounting pin housing 280, 282 has a passageway 294 whichextends axially from a rear end of the mounting pin housing 280, 282 toa front end of the mounting pin housing 280, 282, and a passageway 296which intersects and extends radially outwardly from the passageway 294to an exterior of the mounting pin housing 280, 282. In the rightmounting pin housing 280, the conduit 270 is attached to the end 296 aof the passageway 296. In the left mounting pin housing 282, the conduit272 is attached to the end 296 a of the passageway 296.

The arm mounting pins 84, 140 form part of the liquid dispensingassembly 264. Each arm mounting pin 84, 140 is identically formed. Asshown in FIGS. 39-41, each arm mounting pin 84, 140 has a body 298having a rear end 298 a, a front end 298 b and an exterior surface 298c, and a passageway therethrough which is formed from a bore 300 whichextends axially from an opening 302 at the rear end 298 a toward thefront end 298 b and a through hole 304 which extends diametricallyacross the arm mounting pin 84, 140 and intersects the bore 300 andterminates at the exterior surface 298 c of the arm mounting pin 84,140. The bore 300 is blind such that the bore 300 does not extend to thefront end 298 b of the arm mounting pin 84, 140.

As shown in FIG. 42, each arm mounting pin 84, 140 has a pair of spacedapart bushings 306, 308 mounted thereon which encircle the body 298. Forthe right arm mounting pin 140, the plates 136, 138 are attached to therespective bushings 306, 308 which allow the plates 136, 138 to rotaterelative to the right arm mounting pin 140. The right arm mounting pin140 extends through plates 136, 138 and extends through the passageway294 of the right mounting pin housing 280 such that the right mountingpin housing 280 is between the plates 136, 138. For the left armmounting pin 84, the plates 158, 160 are attached to the respectivebushings 306, 308 which allow the plates 158, 160 to rotate relative tothe left arm mounting pin 84. The left arm mounting pin 84 extendsthrough plates 158, 160 and extends through the passageway 294 of theleft mounting pin housing 282 such that the left mounting pin housing282 is between the plates 158, 160.

O-rings 310, 312 seal the mounting pin housings 280, 282 to the armmounting pins 84, 140 such that a cavity 314 is provided between theright mounting pin housing 280 and the right arm mounting pin 140 and isprovided between the left mounting pin housing 282 and the left armmounting pin 84. The cavity 314 is in fluid communication with the bore300 and the through hole 304 the passageways 294, 296 in the rightmounting pin housing 280 and with the through hole in the arm mountingpin 140. In an embodiment, the O-rings 310, 312 are eliminated and themounting pin housing 280, 282 and respective arm mounting pin 84, 140are integrally formed with each other such that a one-piece member isprovided.

In use, liquid flows from the source, through the first branch 290 ofthe left liquid passageway block 276 and flows through the second branch292 thereof. The liquid in the first branch 290 flows through theopening 302 in the left arm mounting pin 84, through the bore 300 of theleft arm mounting pin 84 and then through the through hole 304 of theleft arm mounting pin 84. The liquid then flows into the cavity 314between the left arm mounting pin 84 and the left mounting pin housing282. The liquid flows through the passageway 296 of the left mountingpin housing 282 and then into the left conduit 272 to the left dispenser268 in the left arm assembly 62. The liquid flows out of the leftdispenser 268 and onto the left arm wheel 164. The liquid also flowsfrom the second branch 292, through the flexible conduit 178 and intoand through the passageway 284 in the right liquid passageway block 274.The liquid then flows through the opening 302 in the right arm mountingpin 140, through the bore 300 of the right arm mounting pin 140 and thenthrough the through hole 304 of the right arm mounting pin 140. Theliquid then flows into the cavity 314 between the right arm mounting pin140 and the right mounting pin housing 280. The liquid flows through thepassageway 296 of the right mounting pin housing 280 and then into theright conduit 270 to the right dispenser 266 in the right arm assembly62. The liquid flows out of the right dispenser 266 and onto the rightarm wheel 142. The flexible conduit 278 allows the movement between theoperating position and the storage position of the arm assemblies 60, 62as described. If the conduit 278 was completely rigid, the conduit 278may break or fracture due to the movement of the arm members 120.

The two dispensers 266, 268 dispense a liquid onto the cutting member 26and the adjacent arm wheel 142, 164 at or near the location where thecutting member 26 engages the wheel 142, 164. Each dispenser 266, 268includes a liquid exhaust aperture and a deflector for deflecting theexhausted liquid at a desired angle. The deflector is angled to deflectthe liquid at or near the point where the cutting member 26 engages thewheel 142, 164.

The pressurized liquid spray cools the cutting member 26 and removesdebris during operation. Most of the components of the cutting apparatus20 are located the rear surface 66 b of the frame base plate 66 so asnot to impede cleaning of debris or trap any debris. To clean anyaccumulated debris and prepare the cutting apparatus 20 for storage, theoperator need only open the cover 64 and the latchable doors 250, 252,and spray the area with a source of liquid from an external hose.

The positions of the right and left liquid passageway blocks 274, 276can be reversed.

It should be understood that when an element or component is, forexample, coupled, secured, attached, mounted, connected, variantsthereof, or equivalents thereof, to or with another element or componentthat such elements or components may be either unitarily formed asone-piece or separately formed.

It should also be understood that the use of any orientation ordirectional terms herein such as, for example, “top”, “bottom”, “front”,“rear”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “side”, etc., is not intended to implyonly a single orientation of the item with which it is associated or tolimit the present disclosure in any manner. The use of such orientationor directional terms is intended to assist with the understanding ofprinciples disclosed herein and to correspond to the exemplaryorientation illustrated in the drawings. For example, the cuttingapparatus may be utilized in any orientation and use of such terms isintended to correspond to the exemplary orientation of the cuttingapparatus illustrated in the drawings. The use of these terms inassociation with the cutting apparatus is not intended to limit thecutting apparatus to a single orientation or to limit the cuttingapparatus in any manner.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader toquickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It issubmitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpretor limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in theforegoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features aregrouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, inventivesubject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosedembodiment.

While various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodimentsand implementations are possible within the scope of the disclosure.Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be restricted except in light ofthe attached claims and their equivalents.

1. A cutting apparatus comprising: a feed tower assembly configured tobe attached to an object to be cut; a frame base plate assemblycomprising a frame base plate and a driven drive wheel mounted on theframe base plate; a frame base plate adjustment mechanism coupled to theframe base plate and to the feed tower assembly and configured to movethe frame base plate assembly upwardly and downwardly relative to thefeed tower assembly; a wire tensioning assembly comprising a wiretensioning base plate and a wire tensioning height adjustment mechanism,the wire tensioning height adjustment mechanism coupled to the framebase plate and to the wire tensioning base plate and configured to movethe wire tensioning base plate upwardly and downwardly relative to theframe base plate wall; a right arm assembly pivotally mounted on thewire tensioning base plate such that the right arm assembly can bepositioned in an operating position or a storage position, the right armassembly comprising a right arm plate having an arm wheel rotatablymounted thereon; a right arm adjustment mechanism coupled to the wiretensioning base plate and to the right arm plate and configured to pivotthe right arm assembly relative to the wire tensioning base plate; aleft arm assembly mounted on the frame base plate, the left arm assemblycomprising a left arm plate having an arm wheel rotatably mountedthereon; and a cutting member partially wrapped around the arm wheelsand the drive wheel.
 2. The cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein theleft arm assembly is pivotally mounted on the frame base plate such thatthe left arm assembly can be positioned in an operating position or astorage position.
 3. The cutting apparatus of claim 2, furthercomprising a latch attached to the left arm assembly and configured tobe attached to the frame base plate.
 4. The cutting apparatus of claim3, further comprising a latch attached to the right arm assembly andconfigured to be attached to the wire tensioning base plate.
 5. Thecutting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a latch attached to theright arm assembly and configured to be attached to the wire tensioningbase plate.
 6. The cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wiretensioning height adjustment mechanism comprises a block extending fromthe frame base plate, and a rod engaged with the block and engaged withthe wire tensioning base plate, wherein rotation of the rod causesvertical movement of the wire tensioning base plate and the right armassembly relative to the frame base plate assembly and the feed towerassembly.
 7. The cutting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the frame baseplate has a front surface and a rear surface, the drive wheel beingmounted on the front surface of the frame base plate and the blockextending from the rear surface of the frame base plate.
 8. The cuttingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the right arm adjustment mechanismcomprises a spring-loaded piston mounted on the wire tensioning baseplate and engaged with the right arm assembly.
 9. The cutting apparatusof claim 8, further comprising a tension indicator coupled to the pistonused to indicate the amount of tension on the cutting member.
 10. Thecutting apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tension indicator comprises ahousing having an indicator arm pivotally mounted therein, and a rodcoupled to the indicator arm and to the piston.
 11. The cuttingapparatus of claim 8, wherein the wire tensioning base plate has a frontsurface and a rear surface, the drive wheel being mounted on the frontsurface of the frame base plate and the right arm adjustment mechanismextending from the front surface of the wire tensioning base plate. 12.The cutting apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wire tensioning heightadjustment mechanism comprises a block extending from the frame baseplate, and a rod engaged with the block and engaged with the wiretensioning base plate, wherein rotation of the rod causes verticalmovement of the wire tensioning base plate and the right arm assemblyrelative to the frame base plate assembly and the feed tower assembly.13. The cutting apparatus of claim 12, wherein the feed tower assemblycomprises a saddle, a top guide plate, a plurality of guide shaftsextending between the saddle and the top guide plate; wherein the framebase plate adjustment mechanism comprises a rod attached to the topguide plate and rotatable relative thereto, and attached to the framebase plate, wherein rotation of the rod relative to the top guide platecauses translation of the frame base plate relative to the feed towerassembly.
 14. The cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feed towerassembly comprises a saddle, a top guide plate, a plurality of guideshafts extending between the saddle and the top guide plate; wherein theframe base plate adjustment mechanism comprises a rod attached to thetop guide plate and rotatable relative thereto, and attached to theframe base plate, wherein rotation of the rod relative to the top guideplate causes translation of the frame base plate relative to the feedtower assembly.
 15. The cutting apparatus of claim 1, further comprisinga cover hingedly mounted on the frame base plate wall, the covercovering the drive wheel and an upper portion of each arm assembly whenin a closed position.
 16. The cutting apparatus of claim 15, wherein thecover is further attached to the frame base plate wall by at least onepin which extends through a slot.
 17. The cutting apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a right arm retaining block extending from the wiretensioning base plate, the right arm retaining block having a pair ofspaced apart notches provided therein, the right arm assembly furthercomprising a latch extending from the right arm plate, the latch beingpositionable in either notch such that the right arm assembly can bepositioned in the operating position or in the storage position.
 18. Thecutting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the latch comprises aspring-loaded pivotable arm.
 19. The cutting apparatus of claim 17,further comprising a left arm retaining block extending from the framebase plate, the left arm retaining block having a pair of spaced apartnotches provided therein, the left arm assembly further comprising alatch extending from the left arm plate, the latch of the left armassembly being positionable in either notch of the left arm retainingblock such that the left arm assembly can be positioned in the operatingposition or in the storage position.
 20. The cutting apparatus of claim19, wherein each latch comprises a spring-loaded pivotable arm.